Who am I ? still exploring… and exploring, still.
Can we really talk about who we are until we know for sure? and even then, is this something we could even formulate…. and share? For now, I’ll limit myself to tell you things I’ve done, credentials I’ve acquired and experiences I’ve lived. This might not tell you much about who I am and where I’m heading but it’ll tell you something about where I come from.
Roots
Born in France
In a small city of Gascogne, south west of the country, from a pride tribe of farmers. This is the land of foie gras, porcini and cassoulet, where nature is very generous, and so are the people. I grew up in Provence though, in similar countryside. Both places taught me to value and respect traditions, how to work with the Earth following her rhythms, and our intrinsic connection with nature and its wonders.
Living in California
Few years ago, work took me closer to the company head office in the San Francisco Bay Area. After twenty plus years of enduring cold winters and traveling across this fairly flat land far away from the ocean, I found myself in a climate and landscape very similar to where I grew up. And the beach bum, laid-back mentality of the west coast just added to the joy of discovering this new playground.
Emigrated to Canada
Right after completing my late but mandatory military service, my heart dragged me to Montreal where I had to learn english for more opportunities to get a job. And after going back to college for a bit, I created for myself a modest professional career and and wonderful family. I developed a sincere appreciation for the ‘american way’ of living, certainly different from what I was used to, across the pond.
Traveling the world
Through work, pleasure, encounters and metaphysical retreats I’ve traveled to a good third of the countries on this world, over six continents (no Antarctica for me yet). Beyond satisfying a genuine curiosity about life on this planet, these explorations really helped to stretch my views and to put in perspective what I knew of the spectrum of possibilities for ‘human beingness’ on this Earth… as well as discovering more of the richness and variety of the different lifeforms.
CREDENTIALS
Academic
B.sc Maths & Physics, M.sc Physical Oceanography, Ph.D Applied Statistics… more on my LinkedIn profile if that really matters to you (see icons below).
Hobbies
Anything outdoor-ish (running, rock/ice climbing, sailing, hiking, tennis, surfing, volley-ball, kiteboarding…). Seasoned and creative cook and capable handyman. Avid motorcyclist with a preference for winding, deserted, back country roads.
Esoteric
Metaphysical Teacher with Inpowered Living, Certified Consulting Hypnotherapist with the National Guild of Hypnotists (USA).
Jobs
Field service engineer, data scientist, product manager with most of my career spent in dealing with enterprise industrial software for the manufacturing industries. Maybe saying ‘Internet of Things’ will speak to you a little more (or not).
Experiences
Ecstatic
Scuba diving in Rangiroa with Manta rays and hundreds of reef sharks. This was the highlight of a three months long oceanographic campaign around French Polynesia and the Marquises islands. Visiting Jacques Brel and Paul Gaugin graves in Hiva Oa was a special moment as well.
Unusual
As a gesture of welcome and gratitude during a work trip in central China, I was fortunate to get my ears cleaned and atoned using twelve inches long hand-made Q-tips and crystalline sounding tuning forks.
Horrific
At eight years old, I got attacked by a swarm of wild wasps as I was foraging for mushrooms in a oak forest. Thanks to my mom being a nurse, I quickly ended up in the nearest hospital for anaphylactic shock treatment that saved me from death.
On my bucket list…
Probably too many things to share… but at the same time, I’m often finding wonderment in the smallest and seemingly insignificant things. Life has this way to always surprise me and transport me further than I could have ever expected. So I let it flow through me more and more…
Likes / DISlikes
I’m all for…
Any food coming from the sea, especially sea urchins (Uni)
Champagne – Roederer (even though I’ve chosen not to drink alcohol anymore)
Dancing ( salsa, EDM, merengue)
Freedom
But not fond of…
White socks worn with anything but tennis shoes
Cilantro/coriander – I have the gene that makes it taste like soap
Unreasonable, optus people
Fafaru